What did you do on your layout today?

Cleaning and organizing.

@42trainman posted:

Cleaning and organizing.

The pursuit of the endless quest.

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

The New York office wanted to know what a 6-6-6 locomotive would look like.

The New York office really SHOULD know better by now. 

Mitch

They asked for it and the shop delivered.

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

The pursuit of the endless quest.

🎵"To dream...the impossible dream..."🎵 

Mitch

You guys always post pics of the beautiful layouts, I'm so jealous, mine is generally a disaster zone due to construction.  With the kids coming in for Thanksgiving, I figured they will want to see it run, so "Operation Clean-Up" went into full swing.  Layout top cleaning completed, last night I spent 3 hours under the tables.   Probably another 3 hours up there after work tonight again.  This has been the FIRST MAJOR cleanup since I began this journey in October 2021.  Oh and since I don't want to be embarrassed with it not working well, I'm even going to do a serious Mineral Spirits cleaning of the track.   I'm on it !!!

@42trainman posted:

You guys always post pics of the beautiful layouts, I'm so jealous, mine is generally a disaster zone due to construction.

A couple of thoughts:

First, I suspect the "Instagram effect" operates within model railroading as much as with any other human endeavor. In other words, with relatively rare exceptions, people tend to more often post pics of positive results than the more mundane (or disastrous!) outcomes, and of course the pics are shot and selected to best effect. This results can sometimes lead the viewers to a false sense of what others are able to do, and do with apparent effortless ease. So, take with a grain of salt the uniformly wonderful results posted -- I'd bet dollars to donuts there's more than a few scrap piles somewhere off camera to balance out almost every Instagram-ready posting!

Second, it is my impression that many of us get as much enjoyment from the process as the product, and those momentary points where everything comes together to 'pose' for the beauty shots are at best fleeting intervals between long periods of building, testing, tweaking, repairing and rebuilding, Sure, the "trophy rack" of peak perfection beauty shots is nice to visit from time to time, but I can assure you many if not most of us also spend our time in the construction zone! Fear not, and stay of good cheer!

@Steve Tyler posted:

A couple of thoughts:

First, I suspect the "Instagram effect" operates within model railroading as much as with any other human endeavor. In other words, with relatively rare exceptions, people tend to more often post pics of positive results than the more mundane (or disastrous!) outcomes, and of course the pics are shot and selected to best effect. This results can sometimes lead the viewers to a false sense of what others are able to do, and do with apparent effortless ease. So, take with a grain of salt the uniformly wonderful results posted -- I'd bet dollars to donuts there's more than a few scrap piles somewhere off camera to balance out almost every Instagram-ready posting!

Second, it is my impression that many of us get as much enjoyment from the process as the product, and those momentary points where everything comes together to 'pose' for the beauty shots are at best fleeting intervals between long periods of building, testing, tweaking, repairing and rebuilding, Sure, the "trophy rack" of peak perfection beauty shots is nice to visit from time to time, but I can assure you many if not most of us also spend our time in the construction zone! Fear not, and stay of good cheer!

Excellent points Steve. Once upon a time I was the editor of the year book. (Important to note; this is when the film had to be developed.) For each photo used there were xx amount that found their way into the trash. However, I do appreciate when folks post insights of what to avoid.

Jay

@Steve Tyler posted:

A couple of thoughts:

First, I suspect the "Instagram effect" operates within model railroading as much as with any other human endeavor. In other words, with relatively rare exceptions, people tend to more often post pics of positive results than the more mundane (or disastrous!) outcomes, and of course the pics are shot and selected to best effect. This results can sometimes lead the viewers to a false sense of what others are able to do, and do with apparent effortless ease. So, take with a grain of salt the uniformly wonderful results posted -- I'd bet dollars to donuts there's more than a few scrap piles somewhere off camera to balance out almost every Instagram-ready posting!

Second, it is my impression that many of us get as much enjoyment from the process as the product, and those momentary points where everything comes together to 'pose' for the beauty shots are at best fleeting intervals between long periods of building, testing, tweaking, repairing and rebuilding, Sure, the "trophy rack" of peak perfection beauty shots is nice to visit from time to time, but I can assure you many if not most of us also spend our time in the construction zone! Fear not, and stay of good cheer!

@42trainman I don't have anyone coming for Thanksgiving, so here is my layout as it stands 2 minutes after reading Steve's reply.  Redd up under the layout; hardly. 

Here's the opposite view with the camera held higher to show the two classic car lots!    @Richizzle07 notice the blue Ford pickup has the lights on!!

Almost finished with the rivet and girder work on the truss bridge. This is a photo of one of the 21" spans unpainted.

Dave

@Mark Boyce posted:

@42trainman I don't have anyone coming for Thanksgiving, so here is my layout as it stands 2 minutes after reading Steve's reply.  Redd up under the layout; hardly. 

Here's the opposite view with the camera held higher to show the two classic car lots!    @Richizzle07 notice the blue Ford pickup has the lights on!!

Mark, not everyone will know what “Redd” up means. Yins have some unique nomenclature in Stillers (Steelers) country.

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

Mark, not everyone will know what “Redd” up means. Yins have some unique nomenclature in Stillers (Steelers) country.

Well, as it happens, my mother's folks were from Media, west of Philly, and my wife's folks were from Windber, near Johnstown, so I had no trouble translating!

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

Mark, not everyone will know what “Redd” up means. Yins have some unique nomenclature in Stillers (Steelers) country.

@Steve Tyler posted:

Well, as it happens, my mother's folks were from Media, west of Philly, and my wife's folks were from Windber, near Johnstown, so I had no trouble translating!

😃 Redd as short for ‘ready’ or clean up under the layout for the uninitiated.  Sorry I forgot myself @42trainman 🤦‍♂️

@luvindemtrains posted:

Almost finished with the rivet and girder work on the truss bridge. This is a photo of one of the 21" spans unpainted.

Dave

@luvindemtrains

Dave:

The bridge is GREAT!!!! Is that a scratch-built model or are you super-detailing an existing one?

Well glad I'm not the only one who's a mess.   Spent the whole afternoon up there today cleaning an organizing.   Thanks guys.

@42trainman posted:

Well glad I'm not the only one who's a mess.   Spent the whole afternoon up there today cleaning an organizing.   Thanks guys.

😄😄  I’m pulling for you!  We’re all in this together!  — Red Green

@Randy Harrison posted:

@luvindemtrains

Dave:

The bridge is GREAT!!!! Is that a scratch-built model or are you super-detailing an existing one?

Hi Randy,

Thank you. The bridge was scratch-built by forum member Alan Graziano. After 6 years I have finally got around to detailing it.

Dave

Alan does great work, I bought one of those tank setups he just had and I am impressed.   I imagine as my layout progresses I will ask for more help from his skillset.

I've had a Bowser Brill with a sticky American Flyer reverser (offered by Bowser as an option some years back) knocking about the archives for some time.

So, pulled the reverser, cleaned the drum and now have a happy Brill tootling about the place...

Mitch

Hi guys,

Today I replaced the old church on the layout with a Plasticville Catherdral I customized. The old church sat there for 30 years!

Before and after pics:

Good to see that the church has graduated to cathedral status. The collections must be very good.

Jay

@Lionelski looks like the church lost a tree in the new construction and will need more parking for the increase in parishioners! 😂🤣

@M. Mitchell Marmel did you add the quartz clock to the sign?  Great idea if you did!

@M. Mitchell Marmel posted:

I'm minded of Our Lady Of Sudden Deceleration:

Well, faith has long been known for its ability to buffer life's ups and downs, but that's a pretty literal example!

Hmm, perhaps a new line of foam rubber 'chapels' you can anchor to the layout at perilous points? MMM, you may be on to something -- perhaps Menards can issue a version, with Jack the German Shepherd standing by to assist the victims . . .

Thanks for your kind comments guys, the citizens of Warrenville are very proud of their new church building.

The beautiful tree that was removed during the construction will be relocated elsewhere in Warrenville.

You guys may also be interested in this blog post: Where Citizens of Warrenville Pray and Play (warrenvillerailroad.com) as well as the other 3 blog posts in the Citizens of Warrenville series.

@Lionelski posted:

Hi guys,

Today I replaced the old church on the layout with a Plasticville Catherdral I customized. The old church sat there for 30 years!

Before and after pics:

For more pics and this customization project's walk through (as well as info on and pics of prior Plasticville projects), click here:

Unique Plasticville Buildings (warrenvillerailroad.com)

@Lionelski

Your work on the cathedral is beautiful!!! Bravo!!!

Though my layout is slowly moving away from Plasticville buildings, the cathedral is one of the really great ones. Below is a painted cathedral with custom stained-glass windows as part of a diorama we did for a customer back in 2014.

I will most probably include a cathedral with a custom paint job in my redesigned layout that is currently a work in progress.

They said it couldn't be done, but it can!  Two prewar 248s in tandem handle a five car Red Comet train... 

Presented in MOV and MP4 to cover all the bases. 

Mitch

@OhB1 posted:

@M. Mitchell Marmel did you add the quartz clock to the sign?  Great idea if you did!

Yep! I ordered a quartz mechanism to fix another clock, but the shaft was too short.  Waste not, want not... 

@Steve Tyler posted:

Hmm, perhaps a new line of foam rubber 'chapels' you can anchor to the layout at perilous points? MMM, you may be on to something -- perhaps Menards can issue a version, with Jack the German Shepherd standing by to assist the victims . . .

Ha!  I like it.  "Safety Square: Buildings that protect the corners!" 

Mitch

A couple more views of the Lionel wall clock showing the mounted quartz movement: 

And yes, I did reseat the battery. 

Mitch

Did some work on the bridge piers. Had to "shave" a couple of them a bit because trains were hitting them as they passed. After that I added flex stone work by Chooch. Had to do a bit of cutting and tweaking along the way. The flex stone comes with an adhesive backing but it, in my application, needed to be supplemented with some additional adhesive. I used 5-minute epoxy. Now that I am finished with the stone work I will add putty to fill in any noticeable gaps. Then they will be ready for painting and weathering. The photo shows them with rubber bands around them to help with securing them to the contour of the pine base. More to come...

Dave

Dave, the piers look great!  Chooch’s flex stone is a product that is new to me.  I’m glad you pointed out that they still had gum bands around them until the glue dried.  At first glance, I thought there were ribs in the stonework that weren’t parallel to each other.  😄🤦‍♂️

@Lionelski- one can never have too many train shelves John. I have to ask about the random set of pliers on the white pipe to the left??????

@luvindemtrains- Dave - the piers look great. I'll have to remember that stone product for the future.

Bob

@RSJB18 posted:

@Lionelski- one can never have too many train shelves John. I have to ask about the random set of pliers on the white pipe to the left??????

@luvindemtrains- Dave - the piers look great. I'll have to remember that stone product for the future.

Bob

That is my long distance train grabber, Bob. It is about 4 feet long

Love your description of it!

Today, I Serviced my two 2350’s. They run great now!
also reached into the magic bag of tools and impaled my index finger joint on one of my exacto tools! So the bleeding did not spill on the layout! Just the work area! Lol. Layout and locos are fine! Removing all blades now!

@Mark Boyce posted:

Here's the opposite view with the camera held higher to show the two classic car lots!    @Richizzle07 notice the blue Ford pickup has the lights on!!

It’s looking great! Glad the truck has found its way into your vision.

luvindemtrains! The stone wall pier supports  are fantastic! Nice work!

@Lionelski posted:

That is my long distance train grabber, Bob. It is about 4 feet long

Love your description of it!

Now I see it. Kinda like finding Waldo.......

Nothing...the house is full of visiting family.

PD

Thank you Mark, Bob, and Leroof. Mark, you are right, the rubber bands are very close to the color of the stone work.

Dave

Fired up the SP GS-4 monster for the holiday weekend.

Last night, I ran trains.  I didn't realize it but "somehow" my DCS Wi-Fi APP reverted back to the free version where only three engines are accessible.  I thought initially I was just experiencing one of those glitches that happen from time to time, but I went to put coupler slack on one of the three engines that was running and it told me that this was a premium feature.  

Not sure how this happened but after looking at my iPad, i was frustrated and basically gave up.  I went to old emails where I thought this was discussed by @MrMuffin'sTrains but couldn't find it and then did a search here on the foru, and finally found the "restore" button which solved the problem.  With that fixed, I decided to run some trains and create a few videos.

Enjoy the videos.

John